Just got our Wild & Wolf back in the store – some magical gifts for summer birthday parties and for today and tomorrow only, we’re offering 20% off. We read in Departures that with the return of Arrested Development, magicians are totes “in” so you can help kids get their magic on with some tricks of the trade. (Gotta love G.O.B. Bluth as a role model). Balloon Animals, Juggling Sets, Magic Tricks and more! http://www.babesta.com/Wild-and-Wolf/

We can’t decide which we like better, but here are two color choices for some awesome summer jeans by ESP No. 1 paired with my very favorite indie-spirit “Declare Independence” tee by Mini & Maximus and a cool necklace by our friends at Atsuyo et Akiko. Kids’ style at its coolest. . . Which do you prefer?

It was a gorgeous weekend for TOAST of Tribeca this month, and I scooped up the kids and decided to make the artwalk our Sunday event. Both of my girls love art and I thought it would be fun for them (and me) to see how many artists and how much creative talent is all around us. The work we saw was amazingly diverse and it was really a kick getting into all of these studio spaces that dotted around the area. We do see a lot of spaces of course when doing local deliveries, but many of these were in buildings that I’ve never been in, with hallways dedicated to artists and their work.

Although I loved many of the artists, a couple stood out to me from a “Babesta” point of view. The first is Elizabeth Pantirer, who’s unique shoe-art featured running shoes morphed with creatures of the sea and land. Very cool stuff and I thought something that would be awesome for a kids’ room (something sweet for a newborn crafted from a first pair of shoes? Or something super cool for a tween/teen room with a fave pair of kicks as a conversation piece). I reached out to Elizabeth to hear a little bit more about her funky creations. –JC

Sneaker Monster Artist Elizabeth Pantirer

We’re all about cool kicks at Babesta – What inspired you work with sneakers?

I was first inspired in the summer of 2009 when I wore my running shoes out. They were just about to have holes when I decided to retire them. I experienced some amazing runs in those shoes and I wanted to turn them into an art project in which I could portray the determination and ferocity I felt when running in these shoes. I then developed my first sneaker monster.
How long have you been doing this? What’s your background?

I’ve been making sneakers for almost 4 years now. I am a student at the New School and although I am not a fine arts major I do take advantage of the amazing fine arts and crafting classes they offer.

Koi Fish Kicks by artist Elizabeth Pantirer

What sort of materials do you use to build your sneaker-art? How’s it done?

I like to mold the shoe from the inside out into the shape that I desire. I cut into the shoe to shape the mouth and then mold the inside to keep the mouth opened. I then use a very lightweight clay to mold what the outside will look like. Once I’ve done this I can paint it and adhere it to the shoe. I use different types of adhesives based on the size of the clay being adhered, the effect and the weight. I have also used Halloween props (a fake finger for a shark) and gardening props (fake grass for elephants).

How was TOAST this year? Have you done it in the past?

TOAST this year was absolutely phenomenal. The studio I showed in had a lot of traffic over the weekend and a lot of people took interest in my shoes. This is the 4th year that I have been involved with TOAST. After my first year in the show a hip-hop sneaker organization contacted me about my sneaker monster and invited me into one of their shows.You said you have done baby shoes too (what animal?) -that’s pretty cool – any other standout custom requests you’ve had?

Last year I was commissioned to make baby shoes for a newborn baby. I took 2 sneakers and turned them into elephants and aligned them one behind the other. One elephant (the one in the back) was slightly smaller than the other and had its trunk wrapped around the tail of the bigger elephant. After this TOAST event I have been asked to make custom sneakers for a newborn boy. The couple come from Japan and Italy and I have been working on making one sneaker a koi fish and the other a stallion.

Custom shoes range about $200+. For more info, email Elizabeth Pantirer at epantirer@gmail.com.

At Babesta, we curate everything for a cool city child. That’s any global urban mecca – from Stockholm to Sydney, Brooklyn to Berlin. For any NYC aficianados we have mixed together some of our hometown faves! Check out our latest goods answering the call of the city kid!Go to http://ow.ly/kO1rf to check out our full city selection!

Grab your walking shoes and put your art hat on, it’s TOAST Artwalk time in Tribeca this weekend! Tribeca has historically been known as an artists’ neighborhood and this is a great occasion to show support to our local art community! Download the map at TOASTartwalk.com. Artists open their studios to the public and galleries get in on the game as well. There’s nothing like supporting your ‘hood with some art for your crib!

For the guy that brought us Campbell’s soup cans galore and graphic Marilyn prints, comes the newest Bugaboo limited edition canopy sets. We love the giant flower prints –they’re strong, bright and cool at the same time. Babesta was selected as one of a limited group of retailers selling these special sets, perfect for the Bee, Cameleon 3 and Donkey.

Just like all limited edition Bugaboo canopies, if you love them, snap them up, as they won’t be around forever! Meet ya at the MOMA. Order your Warhol Bugaboo here!

We expect these in mid-May and are taking pre-orders now. Canopy sets are $199.00 (Cameleon, Donkey) and $149 (Bee), Parasol $69.

So I was just chatting with my daughter about what she was planning to make for her science project (she’s studying inventors & inventions). She was describing a personalized weather machine she was seriously considering (biting off a bigger meatball than I would do!) and I asked her who would choose rain? She countered: think of the pairings – I want sun, you want rain, together: Rainbow! Touché: it’s “you’ve got your chocolate in my peanut butter” thinking. Better together.

Pondering how we would create such a thing, I stumbled upon the MOMA’s new exhibit Rain Room that begins May 12. While I doubt we will be busy at home tinkering with some GPS based weather contraption, (what I wouldn’t give today for some yesterday-like weather), we will definitely wait in line to check it out next week at the MOMA.

The room is designed by Random International, and it’s taking place in a lot next to the museum. Basically it’s pouring, but when it detects you, the rain opens up to let you by, giving you the feeling of ‘controlling the weather’. Sounds super fun!

So last night I went to the Passing it On event, the annual show by Rosie’s Theater Kids. I am so blown away by these folks–making such a huge difference in the lives of kids in the city. Even more blown away by the kids themselves–amazing. One group sang “You Gotta Have Heart” with Rosie herself, and other amazing numbers were choreographed and directed by people like BD Wong (“M. Butterfly/Law & Order SVU”) and John Tartaglia (Avenue Q).

It was a wonderful event by an organization that addresses a big problem: anyone with a kid in the public school system knows, when money’s tight, the Arts are always the first in line to be cut. Enter this organization which provides free regular classes in performing to some of the most in-need public schools and then offer after school and summer programs to kids who audition and get chosen. Participation is based on passion and need over talent. Not only giving access to a talented panel of teachers and mentors, the organization helps them academically with tutoring programs and helps to get them into performing arts high schools as well.

Thanks for the show. Inspiring! Big Shoutout from your pals at Babesta! Pass it on…